What if I have a complaint about a REALTOR®?
REALTORS® are all licensed real estate professionals, but not all licensed real estate professionals are Realtors.
That means that Realtors comply with the Greater Vancouver REALTORS®’ (GVR) code of ethics and professional standards above and beyond what’s outlined in government regulation.
If you have a complaint concerning a Realtor’s practice or actions, here’s how you can start an inquiry.
Dealing with a dispute or complaint if you’re not a Realtor or GVR member
Step 1: Contact the Managing Broker
Real estate offices are all managed by a Managing Broker – this individual is responsible for all of the Realtors who work in their office. Managing Brokers have legal and ethical oversight of their agents, so they are often the most direct and effective way to resolve disputes with Realtors.
Step 2: File a concern with BCFSA
If the Managing Broker is unable to adequately resolve your dispute or complaint, you must report the concern to the BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA), which is the regulator for real estate transactions. We strongly recommend you file your concern with BCFSA first as any regulatory violations will need to be dealt with first before GVR is able to review the complaint.
Step 3: File an inquiry with GVR
Once BCFSA has made a decision, if GVR rules are violated, we may serve additional corrective measures to the member.
Ethics and rules violations that can’t be resolved by Managing Brokers are resolved through the Professional Conduct Committee.
To file a complaint, contact us at concerns@gvrealtors.ca.
What does the complaint process look like?
The GVR Professional Conduct Committee has jurisdiction to:
- investigate members’ conduct at its own initiative or in response to a member complaint
- investigate complaints
- decide guilt or innocence
- decide sanctions (if any).
The Committee doesn’t deal with complaints from the public unless the BC Financial Services Authority (or the courts) have already dealt with them.
What if I have a dispute about a commission?
If you have a dispute with a GVR member regarding a commission, this would be considered a civil matter. Contact the member’s managing broker first as they may be able to resolve the issue without going through the civil courts.
What if I have a different concern about a Realtor?
You can let us know of any concerns about a GVR member by contacting us at concerns@gvrealtors.ca